Open house (school)

[2] School open houses are about two hours long, the length of a good movie or show ... a well-executed event sets the stage for a successful school year.

The face-to-face meetings with families help build relationships, increase the visibility of the parent group, and develop a sense of community at school.

[3] Contrary to what its name might seem to imply, an open house at the average school is not intended for general members of the public, but rather, specifically, for the parents and family members of the students who either attend or are considering attending a school.

It is common for open houses to be held in the evenings or weekends, to allow for parents who work during the standard the work-week hours to attend, but holding open house in the daytime is not unusual, especially at elementary schools.

Typically in such open houses the parents have only 5–15 minutes with their child's teacher, which provides time for the teacher to explain their class expectations, but not enough time to look around, actually know classmates, and have a good bond with them.